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Vishal Bhardwaj is a music director who happens to direct films too, and not otherwise. Hence, music is an integral part of his films. His collaboration with Gulzar has been extraordinary. Rangoon, their latest, seems to be yet another more-than-ordinary album. Surprisingly, Vishal Bhardwaj has collaborated with another lyricist Lekha Washington for two tracks in English.

1. Bloody Hell – Singer: Sunidhi Chauhan; Lyrics: Gulzar – Those who know the nuances of Bhardwaj’s style of composition, they would be in love with this track instantly. The rest would take the time to sink in this fantastically composed and arranged track that Sunidhi owns so spontaneously. That Guitar pause just before the hook line has all the charm one usually wants to have in a song like that. Bloody Hell is bloody addictive once it sinks in you.

2. Yeh Ishq Hai / Yeh Ishq Hai (Female Version) – Singer: Arijit Singh / Rekha Bhardwaj; Lyrics: Gulzar – This man is getting better with every song. On the lines of Haider’s Khul Kahin Toh, this song has intensity in the notes which Arijit buys really well. Gulzar, on the other hand, does not seem to be following the above-mentioned track and is going his way. He makes sure that the romance goes many notches intense, not just horizontally but vertically when he comes up with this line – Bekhud sa rehta hai, Yeh kaisa Sufi hai, Jaage to Tabrizi, Bole to Rumi hai. The surprise lies in its female version where the composer has gone in a qawwali mode though keeping the bass intact. It becomes more like devotional track than a romantic which anyway is good, for the lyrics talks about the love of Tabriz and Rumi.

3. Mere Miyan Gaye England – Singer: Rekha Bhardwaj; Lyrics: Gulzar – At the time of remakes, Vishal Bhardwaj makes sure he too comes up with one, a very intelligently remade track that is more likely to come under the ‘inspired’ list of songs, taken from 1949 released Patanga’s Mere Piya Gaye Rangoon. Rekha’s retro sounding vocals totally do justice to the track. Gulzar shows his quirky side which he makes sure to do in at least one song of every album he does. Enjoyable.

4. Tippa – Singers: Sukhwinder Singh, Rekha Bhardwaj, Sunidhi Chauhan, O. S. Arun; Lyrics: Gulzar – How brilliantly he captures the rhythmic sound of the train and utilizes by blending with his composition which is indeed catchy if heard properly. All the four amazing voices together make a strong ensemble, one complementing the other. The second interlude is a transition from a more earthy to a more dreamy sound which something to listen for.

5. Ek Dooni Do – Singer: Rekha Bhardwaj; Lyrics: Gulzar – Rekha’s third track in the album is a salsa sounding number full of mathematic tables of 3 and 4 (Not kidding). The way Gulzar connects the tables to the rest of the mukhda is amusing and creative. Arrangements lacks novelty but the composition, particularly in the antara, makes up a really interesting experience. The way Rekha Bhardwaj renders those tables in such a style is phenomenal.

6. Alvida – Singer: Arijit Singh; Lyrics: Gulzar – A typical Bhardwaj composition containing those familiar unusual notes that begin the song. Arijit, as I said earlier, is getting better with every song to such an extent that he sounds even better here compared to how he did in Yeh Ishq Hai. The transition after the first anatara to a more qawwali ambiance is one of the points that makes the song engaging. And, Arijit sounds brilliant in that transition. This is that Bhardwaj show one usually expects in his albums.

7. Julia – Singers: Sukhwinder Singh, K.K., Kunal Ganjawalla, Vishal Bhardwaj; Lyrics: Gulzar – Such a grand appeal it has while going through multiple transitions. Vishal makes such interesting combos of all the four singers including himself in every line that the song totally holds your attention till the end. It is one of those songs in which you won’t remember anything except that it’s on Julia and I guess that’s the sole motive of the makers. Somehow Vishal Bhardwaj couldn’t equate the portions and Sukhwinder lands up getting much more than the other two and the composer himself. Superb arrangements and instrumentation.

8. Chori Chori – Singer: Rekha Bhardwaj; Lyrics: Gulzar – Another retro sounding track on Rekha Bhardwaj which she seems quite comfortable in handling. It’s a foot-tapping peppy track that is catchy and has interesting elements to dance upon. Compared to other tracks in the album, it lacks that standout quality but manages to be an engaging one. The way the instruments are played reminds you of Raj Kapoor’s Aawaara tracks.

9. Rangoon Theme – Instruments – Well, in this one and a half minute theme track, you wish if those Violins could continue playing for a longer time. It has a great emotional appeal. Strangely, the notes, as beautiful as they sound, strongly resemble Dear Zindagi theme.

10. Be Still – Singer: Dominique Cerejo; Lyrics: Lekha Washington – This is a non-Gulzar track which Lekha has written quite aptly with respect to the mood of the song. A lovely Jazz by Vishal Bhardwaj where although the arrangements are typical and no experimentation has been tried there, Dominique handles the song so beautifully that it’s almost captivating for a listener.

11. Shimmy Shake – Singer: Vivienne Pocha; Lyrics: Lekha Washington – Here he goes pure 50s Western Rock ‘n’ Roll with Vivienne’s great singing, almost making believable that it really is a song from that era. Lekha’s second and the last track which is written unfashionably and hence, authentically.

Rangoon is yet another example of how Bhardwaj-Gulzar jodi is ever flowering.